You've probably seen the ads: "Build a website in minutes with drag-and-drop!" Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress themes make it sound so easy. But here's the thing—what they don't tell you is that you'll be paying monthly forever, dealing with templates that look like a thousand other sites, and hitting walls when you actually need custom functionality.
At Marmot Marketing, we build custom websites for Edmonton and Alberta businesses. We've helped clients who've wasted thousands on template platforms and wish they'd started with a custom solution. Here's what you need to know.
The Subscription Trap
Here's the math most people miss. Squarespace charges $23-45 per month. Wix is $27-59 per month. That's $276-708 per year, every year, forever. In five years, you're looking at $1,380-3,540. And that's assuming you never need more features, which always costs extra.
On top of that, you're paying for themes (often $59-199), plugins that add up, image licensing, font subscriptions, add-on storage upgrades—the list goes on. We've seen WordPress setups costing $150+ per month in subscription fees alone.
You Never Own Anything
The other problem? You're renting, not owning. If you stop paying your Squarespace subscription, your website disappears. All your content, SEO work, and customer data—gone. At least with WordPress you can export your content, but good luck getting it to work anywhere else.
With a custom website, you own it. You pay once for development, then minimal monthly hosting (about $40-60/month for our framework). And if you ever want to move, you can. You're not locked into a platform.
The SEO Difference
Custom websites built with modern frameworks load faster, have cleaner code, and are easier for search engines to crawl. Template sites are bloated. They load every feature for every theme, whether you use it or not. Page speed matters—slow sites rank lower.
Our custom sites typically load in 500-900 milliseconds using our proprietary framework. Most template sites are 3-5 seconds. That speed difference directly impacts your search rankings and conversion rates.
You Look Like Everyone Else
The template you pick? Someone else has it. Probably hundreds of people. Your restaurant website looks identical to a lawyer's office and a gym because they all use the same template. Not exactly the unique brand identity you're going for.
Custom websites are built for your brand. Every element is designed to represent your business specifically. You stand out, not blend in.
WordPress: The Plugin Lottery
WordPress seems cheaper because the software is free. But then you need a theme ($59-199), hosting ($12-40/month), backups ($5-15/month), security plugins ($10-30/month), page builders ($49-249), contact forms ($0-149/year), e-commerce ($79-299), SEO plugins ($99-499/year), and on and on.
Plus, plugins conflict. Updates break things. The Gutenberg editor is buggy. Your site goes down, you call support, and they say "disable all plugins and see which one breaks it." Great use of your time.
Drag-and-Drop Has Limits
You can drag and drop until you need something the template doesn't support. Want to integrate with your booking system? Need custom reporting? Want to connect to your CRM? Chances are the drag-and-drop platform can't do it, or they'll charge you $200/month for "pro" features.
Custom websites can do literally anything. We integrate with any system, build any feature, and scale with your business. You're not stuck working within the limits of a template.
The Modern Framework Advantage
We build with advanced frameworks that template platforms can't compete with. Our sites use optimized code, modern JavaScript, and server configurations that squeeze out every millisecond of performance.
Template platforms are built for ease of use, not performance. They prioritize having more features over having better features. The result? Bloated, slow sites that rank poorly.
Our Pricing Model
Here's how we do it differently. You pay one upfront cost for the site ($3,000+ depending on scope). Then low monthly hosting and maintenance ($40-60/month starting out, scaling only if your traffic explodes).
No subscription fees to the platform. No per-feature charges. No surprise bills. The site is yours, and the ongoing costs are minimal and predictable.
The Reality of "DIY"
Sure, you could build it yourself with Squarespace. You could spend weeks learning the interface, dealing with template limitations, troubleshooting why the mobile version looks broken, and still end up with a site that looks like everyone else's.
Or you could work with professionals who build unique websites for a living, understand Edmonton and Alberta businesses, and handle the technical work so you can focus on running your business.
What Custom Really Means
Custom isn't just about looking different. It's about functionality. Custom integrations with your existing systems. Payment processing that works exactly how you need it. Booking systems that match your workflow. Reporting tools that give you insights you can actually use.
It's about speed. Sites that load instantly, work perfectly on mobile, and rank high in search engines. It's about security. Code we wrote, infrastructure we control, with updates we manage.
The Bottom Line
Template platforms make sense if you need a quick portfolio and don't care about standing out. But if you're running a real business in Edmonton or Alberta, you're competing for attention. You need a website that's fast, unique, and capable of actually growing with your business.
The "cheap" template sites end up costing more over time, limit what you can do, and make you look generic. Custom websites cost more upfront but deliver more value, more flexibility, and better results.
At Marmot Marketing, we work with Edmonton businesses of all sizes. We've helped startups launch affordably and helped established businesses scale their digital presence. Want to talk about what makes sense for your business? Let's start a conversation.
